“Red rover, red rover, we call Doug Ford over,” a group of snack-brandishing kids and parents chanted to the grinning councillor during a protest against city hall budget cuts.

Ford got a big cheer by letting himself be coaxed over from his council chamber chair Thursday morning, but he refused juice and a cracker, or to “pinky swear” that he won’t cut subsidized child-care spaces.

“Can you folks go to the province and talk to the premier” to pressure him to fund 2,000 child-care spaces the city can’t afford, Ford asked — before returning to his seat to a chorus of boos.

Earlier, during a closed council session, a vote to open it up so the protest could take place passed 16-14.

Jessica Lyons, with 6-month-old daughter Ruby, who is on the waiting list for a subsidized spot, said the good-natured protest was intended to press council to back off on a swath of proposed budget cuts.

The executive committee voted Tuesday against eliminating 2,000 child-care subsidies, instead urging the federal and provincial governments to work with the city on a strategy to expand affordable daycare over two years.

The proposed cuts, along with a host of others to environmental programs, snow clearing, animal control and more will, however, be examined again by the budget committee later this fall.

“Are you swearing allegiance to child care?” Amina Vance, 10, asked Councillor Raymond Cho, who nodded and smiled as he nibbled on a biscuit.

The Grade 5 student told reporters: “I just want everyone to take their cookies and I want everybody to support my child care.

“It’s important,” she said, when asked why she took a day away from studies to protest. “It’s more important than school.”

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